Carrier harness



Se t. 10, 1929. J. -r. FARMER, JR

CARRIER HARNESS Filed Nov. 2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 10, 1929. J. T. FARMER, JR 1,727,873

CARRIER HARNESS Filed Nov. 2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

UNITED STATES r r rorFicE.

JAMES T. EARMER, JR, 013' SAMSON, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR E ONE-HALF Tov EDWARD C. MoRsE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CARRIER "HARNEss;

Application filed November 2, 1925. Serial No. 66,268;

This invention relates to devices for as sisting in the carrying of burdens ordinarily borne in the'hands.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the above character, primarily for military purposes, and adapted particu larly for carrying ammunition boxes such as are used for containing the ammunition for machine guns, and which are ordinarily carried by handles or Straps in the hands of an ammunition carrier or runner; and for carrying litters or stretchers, which also are ordinarily grasped by their handles; the use of the device of my invention leaving the hands of the bearer free, and thus not only doing away with much of the labor incident to these two services, but also making it possible for the bearer to rest his hands and prevent the numbness which ordinarily atfects the hands when they are used for car rying relatively heavy burdens for considerable distances.

The invention consists in a carrier harness,

comprising straps having front portions provided with means whereby burdens may be suspended from them, these straps pass ing upwardly adjacent to the wearers sides and over his shoulders and crossed at the back, and their ends extending beneaththe arms of the wearer and connected with the front portions, a breast strap being provided for maintaining the two straps in adjusted position at the front. The harness thus constructed suspends the burden supported by the means above mentioned entirely from the shoulders and back of thewearer, and the particular arrangement of the straps and their connection at the front by means of the breast strap prevents dis placement of the harness upon the wearers body no matter what positions he may assume, as I will proceed now to explain and finally claim.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 shows the harness of my invention worn by an ammunition carrier or runner, and having an ammunition box suspended from each of its straps. Fig. 2 is a back View 'of the carrier harness. Fig. 3 is a front view of the harness partially disassembled. Fig. d is a fragmentary detail illustrating the manner in whichthe handles of a litter may be carried by the carrier members or hooks. The harness comprises two straps a and I) having front portions 1 which extend downwardly over the body of the wearer adjacentto his sides and are provided with loops 2 in which are arranged carrier members or hooks 3, the ends 4 of the straps being adjustably securedby means of buckles 5 whereby the length of same may be adjusted to accommodate the height of the wearer. The upper portions 6 of the straps a and I) pass over the shoulders of the wearer and are crossed and connected at the back as at 7, their ends 8 being passed beneath the arms of the wearer adjacent to the arm pits, the

end 8 of the "strapa being'connected' by a buckle or the like 9 with the strap Z2, and the end 8 of the strap?) being connected by .means': of a buckle I01 the like 10 with the strap a: as shown. The buckles 9 and 10 provide for adjustment of'the length of the straps after they pass over the wearers shoulders to accommodate the harness to the size ofthe weareflsbody; I

A breast strap llpermanently attached to either the strap a or 6 passes across thewearers chest at a point above the portion of the chest normally expanded in breathing, and is ,adjustably Connected to the other strap a or Z), as the case may be, by means of a buckle'lQ; p

By this arrangement, it will be seen that the weight of the burden carried by the hooks-8 is distributed over the shouldersand back ofthe wearer, and that by crossing the straps at the back and connecting each with the other at the front, by means of the buck les 9 and 10, and by providing the breast strap 11, the harness is Securely positioned upon the body of'the wearer and is prevented from sliding off of his shoulders when he stoops to one side or the other, or when he leans forward.

Not only does the arrangement of the straps of the harness prevent them from becoming displaced, as above indicated, but

when a load is suspended from the harness, its weight is so evenly distributed over the back and shoulders of the wearer that itis borne with very little if any appreciable discomfort.

The straps of the harness may be made of any suitable material such as leather or webbing, and the carrier members or hooks 3 may be of the form shown, or of the snap hook type, or of any other appropriate character.

Various changes are contemplated as within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is '1. A carrier harness, having straps passing downwardly over the front of the body of the wearer and their lower ends provided with members for carrying a load, said straps extending over the shoulders of the wearer and crossed at the back, and the end of each strap passing beneath an arm-pit of the wearer and attached to the downwardly eX- tending portion of the other strap at the front.

2. A carrier harness, having straps passing downwardly over the front of the body of the wearer and their lower ends provided with members for carrying a load, said Straps extending over the shoulders of the wearer and crossed at the back, and the end of each strap passing beneath an arm-pit of the wearer and attached to the downwardly extending portion of the other strap at the, front, and a breast strap connecting the two strapsin front.

3. A carrier harness, having straps passing downwardly over the front of the body of the wearer and their lower ends provided with members for carrying a l0ad,-said straps extending over the shoulders of the wearer and crossed at the back, and the end of each strap passing, beneath an arm-pit of the wearer and adjustably, attached to the downwardly extendingportion of the other strap at the front. a

4. A carrier harness, having straps passing downwardly over the front of the body of the wearer and their lower ends provided with members for carrying a load, said straps extending over the shoulders of the wearer and crossed at the back, and the end-of each strap passing beneath an arm-pit of the wearer and adjustably attached to the downwardly extending portion of the other strap at the front, and a breast strap adjustably connectingthe' two straps in front.

Intest-imony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of October A. D; 1925.

JAMES T. FARMER, J R. 

